Prevailing Rate Systems; Abolishment of Calhoun, Alabama, as a Nonappropriated Fund Federal Wage System Wage Area, 46830-46831 [2024-11826]

Download as PDF 46830 Proposed Rules Federal Register Vol. 89, No. 105 Thursday, May 30, 2024 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules. OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT 5 CFR Part 532 [Docket ID: OPM–2024–0012] RIN 3206–AO70 Prevailing Rate Systems; Abolishment of Calhoun, Alabama, as a Nonappropriated Fund Federal Wage System Wage Area Office of Personnel Management. ACTION: Proposed rule. AGENCY: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing a rule to abolish the Calhoun, Alabama (AL), nonappropriated fund (NAF) Federal Wage System (FWS) wage area and define Calhoun County, AL, to the Cobb, Georgia, NAF FWS wage area, and Jefferson County, AL, to the Madison, AL, NAF FWS wage area. These changes are necessary because NAF FWS employment in the survey area is now below the minimum criterion of 26 wage employees to maintain a wage area, and the local activities no longer have the capability to conduct local wage surveys. DATES: Send comments on or before July 1, 2024. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number and/or Regulatory Information Number (RIN) and title, by the following method: • Federal Rulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. All comments received must include the agency name and docket number or RIN for this document. The general policy for comments from members of the public is to make them available for public viewing at https:// www.regulations.gov without change, including any personal identifiers or contact information. However, OPM retains discretion to redact personal or sensitive information from comments before they are posted. ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1 SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:14 May 29, 2024 Jkt 262001 Ana Paunoiu, by telephone at (202) 606– 2858 or by email at paypolicy@opm.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under 5 CFR 532.219, OPM may establish a NAF wage area when there are a minimum of 26 NAF wage employees in the survey area, a local activity has the capability to host annual local wage surveys, and the survey area has at least 1,800 private enterprise employees in establishments within survey specifications. The Calhoun, AL, NAF FWS wage area is presently composed of one survey county, Calhoun County, AL, and one area of application county: Jefferson County, AL. The Department of Defense (DOD) notified OPM that there has been a continuing decline of NAF FWS employment in the survey area and the local activities no longer have the capability to conduct local wage surveys. Currently, 15 DOD NAF FWS employees work in Calhoun County. Since Jefferson County, AL, will have continuing NAF employment and does not meet the regulatory criteria under 5 CFR 532.219 to be a separate survey area, it must be defined as an area of application to another wage area. Section 532.219 lists the regulatory criteria OPM considers when defining FWS wage area boundaries. This rulemaking allows consideration of the following criteria: proximity of largest activity in each county, transportation facilities and commuting patterns, and similarities of the counties in overall population, private employment in major industry categories, and kinds and sizes of private industrial establishments. In selecting a wage area to which Calhoun County, AL, should be redefined, proximity favors the Cobb, GA, NAF wage area. All other criteria are indeterminate. Based on these findings, OPM is defining Calhoun County as an area of application to the Cobb NAF wage area. In selecting a wage area to which Jefferson County, AL, should be redefined, proximity favors the Madison, AL, NAF wage area. All other criteria are indeterminate. Based on these findings, OPM is defining Jefferson County as an area of application to the Madison NAF wage area. The Cobb, GA, wage area would consist of one survey county (Cobb County, GA), and 4 area of application FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 counties (Calhoun County, AL; and Bartow, De Kalb, and Fulton Counties, GA). The Madison, AL, wage area would consist of one survey county (Madison, AL) and 5 area of application counties (Coffee, Davidson, Hamilton, Jefferson, and Rutherford Counties, AL). The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee, the national labormanagement committee responsible for advising OPM on matters concerning the pay of FWS employees, recommended these changes by consensus. These changes would be effective on the first day of the first applicable pay period beginning on or after 30 days following publication of the final regulations. Expected Impact of This Rule Section 5343 of title 5, U.S. Code, provides OPM with the authority and responsibility to define the boundaries of NAF FWS wage areas. Any changes in wage area definitions can have the long-term effect of increasing pay for Federal employees in affected locations. OPM expects this rulemaking to impact approximately 21 NAF FWS employees. Considering the small number of employees affected, OPM does not anticipate that this proposed rule will substantially impact local economies or have a large impact in local labor markets. However, OPM is requesting comment in this rulemaking regarding the impact. As this and future wage area changes may impact higher volumes of employees in geographical areas and could rise to the level of impacting local labor markets, OPM will continue to study the implications of such impacts in this or future rules as needed. Regulatory Review OPM has examined the impact of this rulemaking as required by Executive Orders 12866, 13563, and 14094, which direct agencies to assess all costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). OMB has determined that this rulemaking is not a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’ under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866, as amended by Executive Order 14094. E:\FR\FM\30MYP1.SGM 30MYP1 46831 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 105 / Thursday, May 30, 2024 / Proposed Rules Regulatory Flexibility Act The Director of OPM certifies that this rulemaking will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. Appendix D to Subpart B of Part 532— Nonappropriated Fund Wage and Survey Areas DEFINITIONS OF WAGE AREAS AND WAGE AREA SURVEY AREAS Federalism OPM has examined this rulemaking in accordance with Executive Order 13132, Federalism, and has determined that this rule will not have any negative impact on the rights, roles and responsibilities of State, local, or tribal governments. Civil Justice Reform This rulemaking meets the applicable standard set forth in Executive Order 12988. * This rulemaking will not result in the expenditure by State, local, and tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100 million or more in any year and it will not significantly or uniquely affect small governments. Therefore, no actions were deemed necessary under the provisions of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995. Paperwork Reduction Act This rulemaking does not impose any reporting or record-keeping requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act. List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 532 Office Of Personnel Management. Kayyonne Marston, Federal Register Liaison. Accordingly, OPM is proposing to amend 5 CFR part 532 as follows: MADISON Georgia: Lowndes Area of Application. Survey area plus: Florida: Leon RICHMOND Survey Area Alabama: Madison Area of Application. Survey area plus: Alabama: Jefferson Tennessee: Coffee Davidson Hamilton Rutherford Survey Area Alabama: Montgomery Area of Application. Survey area plus: Alabama: Dale Dallas Macon * * * GEORGIA * * Survey Area Georgia: Richmond Area of Application. Survey area plus: South Carolina: Aiken * * * * * [FR Doc. 2024–11826 Filed 5–29–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6325–39–P Georgia: Chatham Area of Application. Survey area plus: Georgia: Glynn Liberty South Carolina: Beaufort Survey Area Georgia: Cobb Area of Application. Survey area plus: Alabama: Calhoun Georgia: Bartow De Kalb Fulton Georgia: Columbus Area of Application. Survey area plus: Georgia: Chattahoochee 1. The authority citation for part 532 continues to read as follows: DOUGHERTY Survey Area Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5343, 5346; § 532.707 also issued under 5 U.S.C. 552. 2. In Appendix D to subpart B, amend the table by revising the wage area listing for the States of Alabama and Georgia to read as follows: Georgia: Dougherty Area of Application. Survey area. HOUSTON ■ Survey Area Georgia: Houston Area of Application. Survey area plus: Georgia: Laurens PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Defense Acquisition Regulations System 48 CFR Parts 206, 212, 252, and 270 [Docket DARS–2024–0017] RIN 0750–AM01 CHATHAM Survey Area COLUMBUS ■ Jkt 262001 * Survey Area PART 532—PREVAILING RATE SYSTEMS 16:14 May 29, 2024 * COBB Administrative practice and procedure, Freedom of information, Government employees, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Wages. VerDate Sep<11>2014 * ALABAMA LOWNDES Survey Area MONTGOMERY Unfunded Mandates Act of 1995 ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1 * DEFINITIONS OF WAGE AREAS AND WAGE AREA SURVEY AREAS—Continued Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Pilot Program To Incentivize Contracting With Employee-Owned Businesses (DFARS Case 2024–D004) Defense Acquisition Regulations System, Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION: Proposed rule. AGENCY: DoD is proposing to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement sections of the National Defense Authorization Acts for Fiscal Year 2022 and Fiscal Year 2024 that authorize DoD to establish a pilot program that allows for the noncompetitive award of certain followon contracts to certain employee-owned businesses. DATES: Comments on the proposed rule should be submitted in writing to the address shown below on or before July 29, 2024, to be considered in the formation of a final rule. ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by DFARS Case 2024–D004, using either of the following methods: Æ Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Search for DFARS Case 2024–D004. Select ‘‘Comment’’ and follow the instructions to submit a comment. Please include ‘‘DFARS Case SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\30MYP1.SGM 30MYP1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 105 (Thursday, May 30, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 46830-46831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11826]


========================================================================
Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 105 / Thursday, May 30, 2024 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 46830]]



OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

[Docket ID: OPM-2024-0012]
RIN 3206-AO70


Prevailing Rate Systems; Abolishment of Calhoun, Alabama, as a 
Nonappropriated Fund Federal Wage System Wage Area

AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing a rule 
to abolish the Calhoun, Alabama (AL), nonappropriated fund (NAF) 
Federal Wage System (FWS) wage area and define Calhoun County, AL, to 
the Cobb, Georgia, NAF FWS wage area, and Jefferson County, AL, to the 
Madison, AL, NAF FWS wage area. These changes are necessary because NAF 
FWS employment in the survey area is now below the minimum criterion of 
26 wage employees to maintain a wage area, and the local activities no 
longer have the capability to conduct local wage surveys.

DATES: Send comments on or before July 1, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number and/or 
Regulatory Information Number (RIN) and title, by the following method:
     Federal Rulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    All comments received must include the agency name and docket 
number or RIN for this document. The general policy for comments from 
members of the public is to make them available for public viewing at 
https://www.regulations.gov without change, including any personal 
identifiers or contact information. However, OPM retains discretion to 
redact personal or sensitive information from comments before they are 
posted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ana Paunoiu, by telephone at (202) 
606-2858 or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under 5 CFR 532.219, OPM may establish a NAF 
wage area when there are a minimum of 26 NAF wage employees in the 
survey area, a local activity has the capability to host annual local 
wage surveys, and the survey area has at least 1,800 private enterprise 
employees in establishments within survey specifications. The Calhoun, 
AL, NAF FWS wage area is presently composed of one survey county, 
Calhoun County, AL, and one area of application county: Jefferson 
County, AL. The Department of Defense (DOD) notified OPM that there has 
been a continuing decline of NAF FWS employment in the survey area and 
the local activities no longer have the capability to conduct local 
wage surveys. Currently, 15 DOD NAF FWS employees work in Calhoun 
County.
    Since Jefferson County, AL, will have continuing NAF employment and 
does not meet the regulatory criteria under 5 CFR 532.219 to be a 
separate survey area, it must be defined as an area of application to 
another wage area. Section 532.219 lists the regulatory criteria OPM 
considers when defining FWS wage area boundaries. This rulemaking 
allows consideration of the following criteria: proximity of largest 
activity in each county, transportation facilities and commuting 
patterns, and similarities of the counties in overall population, 
private employment in major industry categories, and kinds and sizes of 
private industrial establishments.
    In selecting a wage area to which Calhoun County, AL, should be 
redefined, proximity favors the Cobb, GA, NAF wage area. All other 
criteria are indeterminate. Based on these findings, OPM is defining 
Calhoun County as an area of application to the Cobb NAF wage area.
    In selecting a wage area to which Jefferson County, AL, should be 
redefined, proximity favors the Madison, AL, NAF wage area. All other 
criteria are indeterminate. Based on these findings, OPM is defining 
Jefferson County as an area of application to the Madison NAF wage 
area.
    The Cobb, GA, wage area would consist of one survey county (Cobb 
County, GA), and 4 area of application counties (Calhoun County, AL; 
and Bartow, De Kalb, and Fulton Counties, GA).
    The Madison, AL, wage area would consist of one survey county 
(Madison, AL) and 5 area of application counties (Coffee, Davidson, 
Hamilton, Jefferson, and Rutherford Counties, AL).
    The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee, the national labor-
management committee responsible for advising OPM on matters concerning 
the pay of FWS employees, recommended these changes by consensus. These 
changes would be effective on the first day of the first applicable pay 
period beginning on or after 30 days following publication of the final 
regulations.

Expected Impact of This Rule

    Section 5343 of title 5, U.S. Code, provides OPM with the authority 
and responsibility to define the boundaries of NAF FWS wage areas. Any 
changes in wage area definitions can have the long-term effect of 
increasing pay for Federal employees in affected locations. OPM expects 
this rulemaking to impact approximately 21 NAF FWS employees. 
Considering the small number of employees affected, OPM does not 
anticipate that this proposed rule will substantially impact local 
economies or have a large impact in local labor markets. However, OPM 
is requesting comment in this rulemaking regarding the impact. As this 
and future wage area changes may impact higher volumes of employees in 
geographical areas and could rise to the level of impacting local labor 
markets, OPM will continue to study the implications of such impacts in 
this or future rules as needed.

Regulatory Review

    OPM has examined the impact of this rulemaking as required by 
Executive Orders 12866, 13563, and 14094, which direct agencies to 
assess all costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, 
if regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that 
maximize net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, 
public health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). 
OMB has determined that this rulemaking is not a ``significant 
regulatory action'' under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866, as 
amended by Executive Order 14094.

[[Page 46831]]

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Director of OPM certifies that this rulemaking will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

Federalism

    OPM has examined this rulemaking in accordance with Executive Order 
13132, Federalism, and has determined that this rule will not have any 
negative impact on the rights, roles and responsibilities of State, 
local, or tribal governments.

Civil Justice Reform

    This rulemaking meets the applicable standard set forth in 
Executive Order 12988.

Unfunded Mandates Act of 1995

    This rulemaking will not result in the expenditure by State, local, 
and tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of 
$100 million or more in any year and it will not significantly or 
uniquely affect small governments. Therefore, no actions were deemed 
necessary under the provisions of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 
1995.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This rulemaking does not impose any reporting or record-keeping 
requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act.

List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 532

    Administrative practice and procedure, Freedom of information, 
Government employees, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Wages.


Office Of Personnel Management.
Kayyonne Marston,
Federal Register Liaison.

    Accordingly, OPM is proposing to amend 5 CFR part 532 as follows:

PART 532--PREVAILING RATE SYSTEMS

0
1. The authority citation for part 532 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 5343, 5346; Sec.  532.707 also issued under 
5 U.S.C. 552.

0
2. In Appendix D to subpart B, amend the table by revising the wage 
area listing for the States of Alabama and Georgia to read as follows:

Appendix D to Subpart B of Part 532--Nonappropriated Fund Wage and 
Survey Areas

          Definitions of Wage Areas and Wage Area Survey Areas
 
 
 
 
                                * * * * *
                                 ALABAMA
                                 Madison
                               Survey Area
Alabama:
  Madison
                 Area of Application. Survey area plus:
Alabama:
  Jefferson
Tennessee:
  Coffee
  Davidson
  Hamilton
  Rutherford
                               Montgomery
                               Survey Area
Alabama:
  Montgomery
                 Area of Application. Survey area plus:
Alabama:
  Dale
  Dallas
  Macon
 
                                * * * * *
                                 GEORGIA
                                 Chatham
                               Survey Area
Georgia:
  Chatham
                 Area of Application. Survey area plus:
Georgia:
  Glynn
  Liberty
South Carolina:
  Beaufort
                                  Cobb
                               Survey Area
Georgia:
  Cobb
                 Area of Application. Survey area plus:
Alabama:
  Calhoun
Georgia:
  Bartow
  De Kalb
  Fulton
                                Columbus
                               Survey Area
Georgia:
  Columbus
                 Area of Application. Survey area plus:
Georgia:
  Chattahoochee
                                Dougherty
                               Survey Area
Georgia:
  Dougherty
                    Area of Application. Survey area.
                                 Houston
                               Survey Area
Georgia:
  Houston
                 Area of Application. Survey area plus:
Georgia:
  Laurens
                                 Lowndes
                               Survey Area
Georgia:
  Lowndes
                 Area of Application. Survey area plus:
Florida:
  Leon
                                Richmond
                               Survey Area
Georgia:
  Richmond
                 Area of Application. Survey area plus:
South Carolina:
  Aiken
 
                                * * * * *
 


[FR Doc. 2024-11826 Filed 5-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-39-P


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